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Like I said, I never had any condensation problems whatsoever. I don't really think a breathing hole is necessary if you are using breathable fabric. The hammock sock or travel pods that I have seen don't have breathing holes.

Jeff's site shows how he can use his travel pod in much the same way you are talking about: zipping it up around his body while leaving his head outside.

With the design I use on HH will allow you to vent the hammock as needed. Once you are lying in the hammock the weight of your body will open vent slits at the head and the foot of the hammock. I later added cord lock at the point where the cover goes around the asym tie outs. The cord lock allow you to loosed or tighten the shock cord around the parimeter, thus creating smaller and larger vent slits at the head and foot as needed. I have even adjusted the cover so that there are no vents open, giving maximum warm inside the hammock.

With my HH clone I can use the zippers for venting the top cover if needed.

Grizz,

A top cover is mainly there to help retain heat. It does help to block and wind, but if the wind is strong you can still feel it coming through the fabric a little. That's where setting up the tarp up to block the wind becomes important.

“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett

blowing in the breeze

Originally Posted by headchange4u

Grizz,

A top cover is mainly there to help retain heat. It does help to block and wind, but if the wind is strong you can still feel it coming through the fabric a little. That's where setting up the tarp up to block the wind becomes important.

yeah, I was just responding to ZDP's statement

the material that I plan to use is soft, breathable and very light - 30D polyester rip-stop. It will shed breezes and light spray.

That and cheap too, I want some!

The need for a tarp to cut wind was re-enforced for me last night. Inspired by a forecast for lows of 45 with no chance of rain, at 11 p.m. I was inspired to go hang. I set up completely in the dark, my headlamp was in the bedroom somewhere, occupied by my sleeping wife, who I did not wish to disturb. Anyway, I minimized the fuss involved by not hanging the tarp. It turned out to be windy, VERY windy, and I was just out in it hanging. Stayed warm with a Potomoc underquilt and a JRB Stealth quilt, until 5 a.m. Then I noticed that I hadn't snugged up the sides of the Potomoc using the shock cord provided for that purpose, so I was getting some moving air between the quilt and the hammock body.

A top cover is mainly there to help retain heat. It does help to block and wind, but if the wind is strong you can still feel it coming through the fabric a little. That's where setting up the tarp up to block the wind becomes important.

Walking outside to lunch today I was impressed again by the wind, and problems of heat retention. It then occurred to me that for keeping heat near me in the hammock, why not a bivy? I've got one from my ground-dwelling days. I'd think it would be lay just fine in a bridge hammock. I think I'll give that a try next time out. [will still need to have the sides of the quilt pulled up!]

Walking outside to lunch today I was impressed again by the wind, and problems of heat retention. It then occurred to me that for keeping heat near me in the hammock, why not a bivy? I've got one from my ground-dwelling days. I'd think it would be lay just fine in a bridge hammock. I think I'll give that a try next time out. [will still need to have the sides of the quilt pulled up!]

Grizz

Or you could make a sock/pod type of thing for the bridge hammock. They work extremely well for blocking wind.

"Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities." - Mark Twain
“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” - John Burroughs